I’m back after a few weeks break. We went to Tanzania and Zanzibar and then I processed a selection of photos for my website before returning.

I’m starting with a photo of our balloon safari. We were up at 5:30am to be collected in jeeps and transported to the launch site. Two balloons fly every morning at 6:30am when the sun rises. Each balloon basket holds 16 people. We actually didn’t see many animals during the flight, except some gazelles, a hyena and a male lion stalking some giraffes just after taking off, but too far away for a photo. I wonder what the outcome of that was. It was, however, a memorable experience, especially when we saw the eruption of the volcano Oldoinyo Lengai. You can see the smoke on the horizon (left)

At 2879m Oldoinyo Lengai is in the East Africa Rift Valley in the Ngorongoro Conservation area. It is the only volcano still active in Tanzania and the only active carbonatite lava volcano in the world. It is sacred to the Maasai, the name meaning “Mountain of God”. There are treks to climb to the crater rim. Rather them than me! Edit Pat found this amazing website about the volcano. Thanks Pat.

The flight was for an hour, after which we drank champagne and had a cooked breakfast out in the bush served by waiters dressed traditionally. The green wellies spoilt the effect though. ;D

I should have changed the ISO and the aperture but the previous shot needed the high ISO and in my excitement I didn’t change it. I don’t think it detracts too much.

Note
I wasn't sure which region to place this in. According to the websites I checked most of the Serengeti is in the Mara region. That implies some of it is in a different region, but I can't find where the region borders are. This was around the Seronera area of the Serengeti so if I've got it wrong maybe one of you will let me know.

Welcome back! What a great way to begin your series with this tremendous shot, coupling a balloon and the volcano fume, that are echoing each other visually. Great balance achieved with these two elements in your composition. The sunset is gorgeous with all these golden hues.

Hi Kath,
A great way to have a break!
And splendid morning for a balloon flight. It's good that there's two of them so you could include the other one on your shot. I like the warm morning light. You got the balloon and volcano perfectly placed, and you needed some luck on that too, as there was no way to choose your PoV!
I didn't know about the volcano. I guess it doesn't erupt very often as I don't remember it from numerous nature documents from that region.
Kari

hi kath,
i'd strongly stick to the "decisive moment" category in this case (you marked the tag, of course...:-)
it's one of those moments that do not repeat TOO OFTEN, isnt it?...
fabulous african scape here...
best wishes, j.

Great to see you back, And with such a dreamy picture. Wide landscape, very nice cloud formation, I love this early morning quiet atmosphere. i enjoyed balloons ride here and there in the world, looks like this place is a great one as well to enjoy immensity.

Hi Kath,
Welcome back, good to see you again. Your first photo is really wonderful, I hope you had a nice trip to Tanzania and Zanzibar. You caught a beautiful morning atmosphere with a great light on the clouds. Good inclusion of the balloon and I like that the volcanic smoke has about the same shape. Thanks a lot for sharing!
Regards,
Lars

Really a fantastic pov capture and perfectly combined the strange clouds on the left, it looks like the baloon, isn't it. If you less the brighness a little bit maybe you can get the darker picture. Nevertheless it really a great picture Kath, i like it.

Hello Kath,
and welcome back. The foreground with the different layers and those charateristic lonely trees is beautiful, the clouds in the background with that light shining is splendid, good timing for this beautiful image. I think it will be nicer for those lucky people from the balloon.
Kind Regards.
Stella

Hi Kath, wow, definitely Tanzania/Zanzibar is one of the places I'd like to go, so looking forward to your shots :) Good you've caught that balloon there, to illustrate this experience, I like how it goes with the other large vertical element in the compo, that "tornado"-like cloud, somehow "echoing" the balloon in the distance... I believe this shot would have been very successful even without the balloon... emphasizing the sight of these African plains at this special time of the day... TFS! Daniel

Hello Kath,
An amazing composition, where the balloon in some strange way is balanced by the cloud formation!
Lovely colours in the early morning light, a great feeling of depth in the wonderful landscape...
Greetings,
Pablo -

Stunning shot Kath,
I just cancel a trip to Kenya, due to political problems. I will go in South Africa at the end of Mars, so it's a real pleasure to see your shot before travelling Africa.
I really like the colours of this one, the placement of the balloon and the smoke of the volcano.
Cheers
JP

Hi Kath,
Welcome back, hope you had a great trip!
Noise is not annoying in this image, and the shape of the hot air ballon stands out in the sky, you even have a balance with this volcano smoke rising in the distance. What is also nice to see are the tree silhouettes at ground level, not hitting the eye at first glance though. Yeah, champagne for breakfast, sounds good ;-))

Hi Kath
Your balloon experience followed by the champagne breakfast sounds similar to ours in the Australian outback although the waiters weren't traditionnally dressed and the scenery wasn't as pretty as yours. You were so lucky having a volcano erupt as it really gives lots of interest to your photo. The other balloon is so well placed too.
Regards
Nikki

Hello Kath! They just showed Out of Africa last night on TV but as I always end up in tears I saved it for another round when I want to suffer just a little :) What a treat instead with your wonderful photo and what a way to travel, I mean the Champagne part is really something and I have to come back to Robert Redford and Meryll Streep when they had a picknick in the bush. Wonderful composition how the balloon moves away and the space left for plenty of room to breath. Very very nice indeed. I love it. Barbara.

salut kath
I am very glad to find you after a long absence, which led you in a beautiful country that I had the chance to visit when I climbed the kili, this balloon in a sky of raising day is brilliant, the chimney of dust points out good memories to me, you begin with this beautiful area of Masaï-Mara great extent of steppe, the continuation can be only superb
friendly
gilbert

Hi Kath,
The magic of Africa... Stunning colours and compo. There is much more to appreciate in it, but I like specially the layered compo and the way that the smoke of the volcano balances the balloon.
Regards, José.

When Jo and I saw this one yesterday morning we were both in awe of the scene and the composition. We both wondered what the smoke/steam was on the horizon - now we know. So the ISO is off and maybe the aperture could be better you still produced an image that will make you remember this morning for the rest of your life. We think it is a spot on image. And, judging from the comments others think so also.

Thank you for sharing. OBTW, what are the "green wellies? Duh, Wellingtons on the waiters feet!

Welcome back. Very beautiful photograph which begins a series on this area from Africa from which I am in a hurry to see the continuation. Splendid sunrise, the colors are sublimes and I like much the atmosphere. Quickly others!!! Thank you Kath.

Hi Kath,
Welcome back! This photo is a great one to start your African safari with. The composition is excellent, especially with the way that you balanced out the column of smoke on the left with the balloon on the right. I am really looking forward to your exciting travelogue! Well done!
Stan

Hello Kath
Having viewed the pics on your website, I know that you have some real treats lined up for us. And this is indeed one of them. The colours in the sky are just magnificent, but this is so much more than just a sunrise pic - the positioning of the balloon is marvellous, the smoke from the volcano is such a bonus. An excellent shot.
Best wishes
Mark

Hi Kath, Lovely to see you posting again, this is a wonderful shot to start with after your break, the early morning light is so beautiful &, the amazing soft golden colours in the sky are gorgeous, brilliantly composed with the balloon to the top right &, the trees add nice scale, really very good, kind regards Wilson.

Hi Kath,
Your photo gives a real sense of this magical morning, floating in the glowing light. As many comment, the smoke balances the baloon. Interesting how it almost echos the shape of the balloon. I loved the pictures on your website but missed your fascinating notes so I will have a great time following your trip. , s I had to know more about this fascinating volcano; I expect you found this website
HLJ, Pat

great to see you back kath... tanzania and zanzibar sound so cool... i have a student from zanzibar, he keeps inviting me to his honeland so may be zanzibar would be one of my future destinations... breathtaking view with the smoke(?) coming out of the volcano, mimicking the shape of the baloon... good job as always...

Hello Kath,
welcome back from from your trip in Tanzania and Zanzibar.I hope to spent your time splendid.Marvellous this scene from your fly Safari with the hot air balloons.Excellent the record of the earth as the colours of the sunrise in the background.Informative your note too.

Hi KAth,
What an amaing come-back. That photograph is wonderfull. The sunset colors are beautifull on that african landscape, and the against the light balloon is really well positionned on the picture.
I like the natural cloud (?) in background wich look like another balloon...
Very good work!
Regards,
Olivier

Hi, Kath. Nice to see you back. It must be an exciting experience to fly in a hot air balloon over that kind of region. What I like very much here is the balanced composition with the balloon on the right side and the smoke cloud on the other, both being linked by an imaginary diagonal line. The light is also very good and creates the impression of early morning very well.

Hi Kath
An absolute stunner. Simply amazing how the volcano plume almost mimics the shape of the balloon. The sky is majestic in pastel shades. The ISO 400 has no visible noises here. Wonderful picture!
Regards
Angshu
Awesome shots in your website. You have tried totally different 'genres' of photography there, Tanzania being more wildlife & Zanzibar, of daily life. Excellent portraits as well as the landscape shots..bravo for all of them! But if these represent a small selection, I can only image that you really had a blast of a trip.

Olá Kath, in your web site I couldn't understand that smoke was from a volcano. Pretty impressive. The balloon is fantastic against the background and from here, seems like a perfect spot to enjoy the dreamy scenery. Love the effect of that orange/yellow stripe - the top part of the picture seems like a sea, which makes this a surreal world. Great start of your travelogue.
ric

Kath,
welcome back to TE and your kick off with the highly anticipated african moments! I certainly will fulfill my own dreams of going to Tanzania through your shots.
The image is perfect. I love to see the multitude horizontal layers in pastel colors been broken by two vertical elements - the balloon and the mushroom-like cloud in the far background.
Peter

Hola Kath.
Welcome back from your trip.
Wonderful photo with beautiful sunrise colors in the sky and the presence of the balloon and the smoke from the volcano producing a good balance to your shot. Your WS is also an excellent picture. Good work.
Well done.
Cheers.

Hi Kath
Very nice come back with this beautifull stormy composition and a nice sky on fire.
I'll be glad to see your new collection of pictures.
The picture on the WS should be posted as a main image.
Cheers

How nice to see you back after a prolonged absence. But if you will keep treating us to such gems, all is forgiven! This is a spectacular shot of the hot air balloon, the Serengeti below, and the eruption of the volcano in the horizon. A first class shot, and a surpassing note.
Warm regards,
Bulent

As ever, wonderful image, Kath. The early morning light is wonderful out there, isn't it? You've captured the view excellently. The smoke plume also mirrors the shape of the balloon very well.
Kind regards, Paul.

Hello Kath,
welcome after your trip for Africa.
Your first photo is very good, your POV from the balloon is favoured and offers us a great sight, the incorporation of another balloon in the setting gives a good graphism, and the light and the colors of the sunrise add a great beauty to the image.
In addition, the smoke of the eruption of the volcano is a good complement that you will remind always, for being lucky to be able to immortalize this moment.
A beautiful work.
Friendly regards,
Josep

This is something I missed to do in Tanzania when I went to climb the Kilimanjaro mountain. This is an epic shot Kath, it has the emotion and the capacity to brings you inside the scene. Congratulations.

Hi Kath, I am sure this safari was a great experience! The view from up there is amazing! My son always asks, when are we planning to go for a safari like this. He loves very much wild life.
Although the ISO was set at 400 it has no noise (Nikon D200!!) and the light management is very good. The shape of the smoke in the depth looks like a balloon, too!
Take care,
Athanasios.